Loose leaf binder



Sept. 25, 1934. J. SCHADE LOOSE LEAF- BINDER Filed July 29. 1932 j IINVENTOR Juli-Iv 56HADE- ,afn 9 M ITORNEYS Patented Sept. 25, 1934PATENT! OFFICE LOOSE LEAF BINDER John Schade, Holyoke, Mass., assignorto National Blank Book Company, Holyoke, Mass, a corporation ofMassachusetts Application July 29, 1932, Serial No. 625,664

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in book binding structure,particularly an improvement in the telescoping type of loose leafbinders. In the first commercial embodiment that I have made, theinvention is disclosed for use in a loose leaf book or binder in whichthe back portion is made up of two overlapping parts to make thetelescoping type of binder.

I will point out the improvements in their various aspects by the claimsdefining the invention. But the general idea is to provide means at theback of a telescoping type book for loosening up the pages from atightly bound condition to a loosely bound condition. Because of itscompactness of design, as well as its flexible capacity, the telescopingtype of binder has met with much favor but is open to the seriousobjection that because the sheets are ordinarily tightly clampedtogether with their bottom edges in one plane, it is very difficult toread the sheets close up to the binding post. Attempts to overcome thisdefect have been made by allowing an excessively wide margin between thepost holes and the point where the reading matter starts. This, however,a means an increase in the size of the book and the storage spacerequired for same, as well as a waste of. paper and binding material. Bymy invention one can open the book for reference and loosen the pressureof the binder on the sheets, thus 3 facilitating the reading andindividual handling of the pages. In its best form the loosening isaccomplished automatically upon opening the book forreference andpreferably by turning one of the covers to actuate the looseningmechanism. The tightly bound condition is desired for saving space andeconomy.

Referring to the drawing: Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention inloose leaf binder form with the pages in loosened condition at the back.The view is from one end with the telescoped book opened out to readingposition;

Fig.2 shows an end view of the book in'Fig. 1 but closed and the pagestightened up at theback for storage; r Fig. 3 is a top view of thebinder arranged as in Fig. 2 but with the pages removed;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing thetwo-part extensible back portionsseparated for clearness;

Fig. 5 is a detail View of the mechanism attached to the back of thebinder for the purpose of controlling and manipulating the binder parts;and

Fig. 6 is a' diagrammatic view 'to indicate the position of the coverthat is connected with the mechanism of Fig. 5 and when it is bent backas in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 1, the book shown comprises the covers 1 and 4 hingedrespectively to the overlapping back portions 2 and 3. The latter areprovided inside the hinge lines with upstanding flanges 5 (on 2) and 6(on 3). The flange 5 carriessheet or page binding posts '7 (see Fig. 4)and flange 6 carries offset posts 8. The latter have spring pressed(outwardly) extensions 9 while similar outwardly spring pressedextensions 7' are provided for posts 7. The book thus far described isof a usual telescoping kind in which punched pages are engaged by posts'7 and 8, the book closed to the position of Fig. 2 with back portions 2and 3 overlapping. In this position it is customary to have somesuitable means to lock the parts. And this is the position and conditionin which the book is ordinarily handled for both storage and reference.

In such book constructions of the prior art, the object in making theback telescoping is to accommodate more or less sheets in the samebinder and to also handle the sheets and binder conveniently inchanging, filling, adding or subtracting sheets. In other words, it isfor adjusting the size of the telescoping binder to the number of sheetsbound and for transferring sheets to and from the binder.

'To adapt such a book for my purpose and to show the principles of myinvention I have provided the mechanism shown in Fig. 5. The part 10 isa flattened tube of sheet metal fastened to back portion 2 (see Fig. 4).Inside this part is pivoted a bell crank lever 11 with a tooth 12 at oneend. This end is constantly pressed outwardly by a spring 13. 'The otherend is engaged by a flange turned out of the plane of a flat link 14.The latter lies alongside of operating arm 15 but its flanged end turnsover into the plane of 15 to engage the curved end portion of arm 15 foroperating the bell crank lever 11 in opposition to the spring 13. Allthese parts operate inside the tube 10 which hides them, as indicated inFig. 4, except for the outer end of link 14 and the tooth 12 (exceptwhen cover 1 is turned back to retract 12 as in Fig. 4). Tooth 12 canmove out of the tube along one edge,as shown in Fig. 5. l 4

A hinge plate 16 is riveted to cover 1 to turn with the cover at alltimes. This plate has a pintle engaging an eye at the end of link 14.Thus the turning of the cover 1 through the hinge pintle operates tomove link 14 back andforth in tube 10 and as stated the link 14 operatesbell crank 11. The result is that the turning of the cover 1 and itsposition relative to back portion 2 determines the possible position oftooth 12 relative to the toothed stops 19 on bar 17. Since cover 1 turnson the book cover and plate 16 is pivoted to rod 14 on a line parallelbut inside the cover hinge, it will be seen that link 14 will be movedinwardly of tube 10 when the cover 1 is closed. When it is opened toreference position as shown in Fig. 1 it pulls link 14 outwardly to movetooth 12. r-Ld when it is moved still further open the tooth 12 is movedstill further and f ally moved in 1 tube 10 as in Fig. 4. The reasonsfor these be explained.

The book parts are assen led by placing the pages on posts 7 and 8. menthe tube 10 is telescoped into flattened tube 18 (see Fig. 4). Tube 18of sheet metal is fastened on the inside of back portion 3. It has teethalong the edge adjacent to the side where tooth i2 is. In Fig. 5 thistube 18 is shown open at the bottom and part of tube 16 is cut away atthe bottom. But Fig. 4 shows how these parts a to the user. If the cover1 is in closed post 11 with respect to back portion 2, link it is endedinwardly enough to let spring 13 press tooth 12 into ratchet engagementwith teeth 18. as the book parts are assembled in closed position withthe book covers pushing the pages ..or assembly on posts 7 and 9 fromeither or both the parts are locked. When is closed, it is desirable tohave it closed and i in tightly packed condition oi the the structureshown, is can. be do, oppositely on the covers. The ondition or" .-lg. 2is thus brought about. It will seen that such a condition of thestructure shown requires plungers 9 to be received telescopically inposts 8 and plungers 7 similarly in posts '7. These posts have coiledsprings inside (indicated by dotted lines in several of the posts) thatare put under tension by the closing of the book to the condition ofFig. 2. These springs are held under tension after the pressure on thebook covers is released, since back portions 2 and 3 are held lockedtogether by the tooth 12 engagingratchet teeth 19. On account of thelarge number of ratchet teeth available for teeth 12 to engage, the bookis ad with respect to thenumber of pages it can hold. But the nechanismas I have arranged it not nnarily for giving adjustability of the bookst 1c The mechanism of without regard to adjusting the book parts for orless pages, is primarily arranged to the book closed tightly as in Fig.2, and in edition to have the book open for reference, as in Fig. 1. Inthe in the condition of This w 1 be clear from Fig. 1. Each page canexamined from the line or"- the back outwardly without d1 ulty, nomatter how close the inner margin of the printing may be to the saidline of attachment. Every one knows from expe ience how awkward anddifiicult it is to use the common form, c.. thick book in which the h sthe leaves the inner margin of the printing at steep angle when the bookis open. This condition has made the use of telescoping loose leafbinders in thick form especially diflicult. It can be solved by leavinga large enoughblank margin on the inner dicated in Fig. 5. movementswill oves/5a side of the printed page so that the printed part starts ona flat enough curve for easy reference. But this requires excessmaterial in the area of the binder, the page contents, and more spacefor storing the book, all of which is so highly objectionable that thetendency has been in adjustable loose leaf binders to leave thedifficulty in the construction of the ordinary thick book for the readerto meet as best'he can.

In my construction, when the user opens the closed book the cover 1operates link 14 to pull tooth 12 out of line with ratchet teeth 19, asin- This is the position of the parts when cover 1 is parallel to backportions 2 and 3, as in Fig. 1. In such position, tooth 12 is in linewith stop 20 arranged at the outer end of ratchet teeth 19, see Fig. 5.Cover 1 and back portion 2 can now be separated from cover 4 and backportion 3 until tooth 12 abuts stop 20 in the separating movement. Thedistance of separation is that between the ratchet tooth engaged-byteeth 12 when the book is tightly compacted with the covers the minimumpossible distance apart considering the contents and the stop 20. Ifthis ';..ovement of the back were for the mere adjustability of the bookcontents there would be no reading advantage possible in the structure nthe contents were at their maximum. At this point is Where the readingadvantage is most nee ed. So it will be seen that my increase of tiewidth of the back portion is an increase beyond and in addition to anyvariation of width that may be provided for varying the book contents.The stop 20 for tooth 12 keeps the book covers from separating more thandesirable for my purpose of rendering an easy reference position orexposure or" the pages. The latter are as eiiectively bound on the backbetween the covers in their position of Fig. 1 as they are in that ofFig. 2.

I can operate the book by moving it between these two positions by hand,including a hand operation for separating back portions 2 and 3 untilstop 20 is engaged by tooth 12. But there is consioerable advantage inrendering the last operation automatic. I have done this by providingthe spring pressed extensions 9 telescoping with posts 8 (see Fig. 4).When the book is closed, as in Fig. 2, the extensions 9 are retractedagainst their springs and constantly press outwardly against flange 5,thus tendingtoseparate the portions. Like spring pressed extensions 7are provided on the opposite side. Tooth 12 prevents action until cover1 is opened. Then the springs can act and spring extensions 9 and 7throw the back parts automatically to the position of Fig. l. But theclosing of the book by hand pressure against the cover 1 or both coversso as to cause part 10 to telescope in with part 18 and for tooth 12 toratchet on teeth 19 to hold the book tightly bound, as already stated.

The action in my commercial form chosen for illustration is smooth andeasy, requiring :no bother on th part of the user. All :he needs to doopen the book and it automatically loosens up the backto make hisreading easy. In closing the book it is obvious that it has'beenexpanded and a slight hand pressure by the user soon becomes instinctiveas part of the closing operation to contract the back for storage.Whenever it desired to take the book apart for changing sheets, it canbe done as follows: The cover 1 is bent back from the position of Fig. 1toward a right angle position withbackportionZ, as in Figs. a and 6,This draws link 14 (Fig.5)

further out of tube 10, operating to further move bell crank 11 againstspring 13 and until tooth 12 is drawn in out of line with stop 20. Thenportions 1 and 2 can be fully separated from portions 3 and 4 and eitherpair can carry all or part of the pages.

The book as shown, has all the advantages of a loose leaf book of theextensible type. Part of its structure suggests the purpose of anexpansible back for varying contents. But the main plan of the inventionis something different; it is to make the book easier to read. Manypublishers want a loose leaf book for the purpose of partially changingportions of its contents, to which the expansible type of book isparticularly adapted, to keep the book up to date by periodicaldistribution of the revisions on loose leaf sheets. The thickness ofsuch books varies from time to time. Posts 7 on one side or posts 9 onthe other side can hold the entire volume of reference pages on the onecover or part on one and part on the other, flanges 5 and 6 acting astransfer bars in the sense that a part of the contents can be mounted onthe bar on one-half of the binder, which half can then be separated withits bar holding such contents which can be transferred for assembly withthe other half of the binder and its part of the contents when the wholeis reassembled. This method of handling pages for substitution at theright place in the volume is pretty well known. It is particularlydesired by the publishers and users. I wish to point out how effectivelyI have added the feature of my invention to such a book. The mechanismof Fig. 5 not only looks the loose leaf book in assembled position butby the addition of one or two simple parts to the parts needed for merelocking I have provided the new feature to make the book easy to read.Because it is easy to read, such a book can now be put out wheneverdesirable, in thicker form than has heretofore been practical. But inany thickness such a book is a more conveniently used article.

Other types of holding means operable by the cover can be readilysubstituted for the preferred form shown. I intend to claim theinvention in its broad as well as in its specific aspects.

What I claim is:

l. A book comprising, a back having expansible and contractibleoverlapping portions, covers hinged thereto, page holding postsextending above and across the back, mechanism having a part on one anda part on the other of said overlapping portions, engageable andreleasable to bind and release said overlapping portions for expansionand contraction according to the position of said mechanism parts, and amechanical connection between one of said parts and one of the hingedcovers to determine the relative position of such parts by the positionof the cover, said cover placing said parts of the book back in positionfor expansion of the back only only when the covers are opened forreference condition of the book and a stop forming part of saidmechanism to limit such expansion and keep the pages bound in the book,whereby the book may be held contracted when closed or expanded with thepages bound loosely enough for easy spreading to good reference positionwhen the book is open.

2. A loose leaf binder comprising an expansible back having loose leafstructure mounted thereon with spring pressed posts to hold pages,covers hinged to said back, said posts normally acting to expand theback and positioning mechanism on said back operable by connection withone of the covers to prevent back expansion when the cover is closedagainst the book contents and releasble to permit back expansion whensaid cover is opened to lie parallel to the back, said mechanism alsoproviding a stop to prevent complete separation of the back parts untilthe said cover is turned beyond its position parallel to said back.

3. A loose leaf book of the type arranged for expanding and contractingthe width at the back of the binder comprising in combination twocovers, two overlapping back portions hinged to the covers and eachcarrying loose leaf structure including sheet holding posts extendingabove and across the back of the book, two cooperating stop members, onecarried on one back portion and one on the other back portion, said stopmembers being normally in position when the covers are opened forreading to permit and limit the separation of the back portionssubstantially to the position for their greatest cooperative expandedcondition while holding book sheets in bound form, said stop members atall times permitting free sliding of the back members to their smallestcooperative contracted condition, one of said stop members being movableout of cooperating position with respect to the other, mechanismpermanently mounted on the book and operatively connected to one of thecovers to move such stop members into and out of such cooperatingposition, said combination being constructed to bind a full book ofsheets having the thickness of the binder in fully contracted conditionand permitting easy and convenient loosening of the sheets at the backof the book for reading in that condition of the book when the back isfully expanded.

l. The combination of claim 3 with means 0perable to lock the book backin fully contracted position when the covers are closed.

5. The combination of claim 3 with a ratchet bar, said permanentlymounted mechanism being operable by one of the covers upon closing toput one of said stops in position to cooperate with said bar and lockthe book back against any expanding 120 mvement.

6. The combination of claim 3 and automatic actuating means operablewhen the book is opened to reading position to expand the width of thebook back until the cooperating stops are engaged one with the other.

7. In a book construction for the purpose described a book partpositioning mechanism comprising two telescoping hollow members forattachment to opposite overlapping back portions of the book, a ratchetand end stop in one memher, a cooperating spring pressed pawlin theother member having a tooth adapted to extend beyond its containingmember into engagement with said. ratchet teeth or stop, a linkage meansconnected 135 to operate the pawl and extending into said pawlcontaining member, said linkage means extending out of the containerwith a part for attachment to and operation by a cover of the book inturning to open and closed position, said linkage, pawl, 140 ratchet,and stop being arranged for the turning of the connected cover to engagethe pawl and ratchet when the cover is closed, to take the pawl out ofline with the ratchet teeth and into line with said stop when the coveris open to reading 145 position, to take the pawl out of line with saidstop when the cover is opened beyond reading position.

JOHN SCHADE

